FORMIC ACID. 151 



According to this analysis the atomic weight of 

 formic acid is 4 '696. Now, the nearest multiple 

 of 0*125 to this is 4*625 . Hence, the probabili- 

 ty is, that this number represents the true atomic 

 weight. Berzelius analyzed the acid by burning 

 a certain proportion of formate of lead and 

 chlorate of potash in a glass tube, precisely in 

 the way formerly described. He found the con- 

 stituents, by this process, to be 



Hydrogen . 2-84 or 0-13135 



Carbon . 32-40 - 1-49850 



Oxygen . 64-?6 - 2-99515 



100-00 4-62500 



The second column, showing the weight of each 

 constituent in 4*625, or an atom of the acid, ap- 

 proaches so nearly to 



1 atom hydrogen . 0-125 



2 atoms carbon 1-5 



3 atoms oxygen . 3 



4-625 



that we can have little reason to hesitate about 

 adopting these as the true atomic constituents of 

 the acid. The only difference between its ato- 

 mic constitution and that of oxalic acid, is, that 

 formic acid contains an atom of hydrogen which 

 is wanting in oxalic acid. But the loose manner 

 in which the constituents of this acid are held 



K 4 



